White Metallic Platinum Tri-coat. Just say no.

"TheRealBicycleBuck" (therealbicyclebuck) 01/25/2016 at 20:55 • Filed to: None

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Nearly every day, I am greeted by this:

Someone backed into the right rear corner of my wife’s Explorer a couple of years ago. They had to replace the bumper cover and the entire rear quarter panel from wheel well to the top of the door. When it was first sprayed on, it looked pretty good. But over time, the White Metallic Platinum Tri-coat has faded and now I’m looking at this nastiness.

We had the Explorer in for some other work (story to come soon) and I asked the body shop - the same body shop that made the repair - to look at the paint. Turns out they have a new body shop manager. He spotted the problem immediately. He looked it up and found that there is a three year warranty on paint! We’ll be scheduling it for a new paint job sometime in the next couple of weeks. I’ll post it again once they take care of business.

Caleb "If a rally car can do it, so can my Malibu" M. S. > TheRealBicycleBuck 01/25/2016 at 20:58

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White explorer. Just say no.

sm70- why not Duesenberg? > TheRealBicycleBuck 01/25/2016 at 21:01

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I can’t tell

pip bip - choose Corrour > TheRealBicycleBuck 01/25/2016 at 21:01

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jeez i’m not usually goos at spotting paint defects , but that truly does stick out.

If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent > Caleb "If a rally car can do it, so can my Malibu" M. S. 01/25/2016 at 21:01

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Nono it’s white Broncos that you have to avoid.

TheRealBicycleBuck > Caleb "If a rally car can do it, so can my Malibu" M. S. 01/25/2016 at 21:03

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I wish she had. I tried to steer her toward something more practical. Something better. Something... not Explorer.

Now she looks back and wishes she had purchased something different. Sometimes we have to learn the hard way.

iSureWilll > TheRealBicycleBuck 01/25/2016 at 21:03

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That really is amazing that they are warranty-ing (?) paint. Whatever you do, go back to that shop if you ever have any other damage.

Caleb "If a rally car can do it, so can my Malibu" M. S. > If only EssExTee could be so grossly incandescent 01/25/2016 at 21:04

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These days its the white Charger, white suburban, white Explorer, white Crown Vic, some Impalas, grey Chargers, and MORE EXPLORERS BECAUSE THEY’RE EVERYWHERE

Caleb "If a rally car can do it, so can my Malibu" M. S. > TheRealBicycleBuck 01/25/2016 at 21:06

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Did you consider the Edge or Escape as well? What made her decide to go Explorer?

K-Roll-PorscheTamer > TheRealBicycleBuck 01/25/2016 at 21:07

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THANK GOD my mom got silver instead of the tri-coat

TheRealBicycleBuck > sm70- why not Duesenberg? 01/25/2016 at 21:08

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I’ve never had much luck with Microsoft Narrator and Kinja. What software do you use to have Kinja read aloud to you? I only ask ‘cause its clear you can’t see. :)

May I suggest a visit to the local optometrist?

Saracen > sm70- why not Duesenberg? 01/25/2016 at 21:12

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You can’t tell that the rear section of the car (C-pillar back) is a different color?

TheRealBicycleBuck > Caleb "If a rally car can do it, so can my Malibu" M. S. 01/25/2016 at 21:13

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I tried to get her to try a Flex - she deemed it “too wagony”. She demanded a third row, automatically excluding both the Edge and Escape. We tried a 4-Runner (too small), Highlander (way too small), and the Sequoia (too big). We tried a Pathfinder (no third row) and the Armada (the storage wasn’t “right”). We tried a Durango (too small).

I even rented a couple of minivans (a Traverse and a Caravan). She didn’t want a minivan.

Now, she thinks a minivan would have been the better choice. I still can’t get her to try out a Flex.

Birddog > TheRealBicycleBuck 01/25/2016 at 21:13

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That would trigger a full on OCD attack for me.

That’s just piss poor paint work on the shop’s end. It should have been matched better and blended into the door. Never stop at a shut line.

HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles > TheRealBicycleBuck 01/25/2016 at 21:15

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My wife’s Fit is Tidewater Blue, it is light blue in the sun, and light Lavender in the shade. Because of the color flip It’s hard to match. Before we bought the car the rear bumper was replaced after a parking lot indecent, if you look real close you can see that the bumper isn’t an exact match.

So yeah, fancy paint is awesome, but you risk a higher chance of a repair going wrong, if you do end up needing one.

Caleb "If a rally car can do it, so can my Malibu" M. S. > TheRealBicycleBuck 01/25/2016 at 21:15

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Hmm if you want 3rd row you’re narrowing it down quite a bit these days.

AM3R shamefully returns > TheRealBicycleBuck 01/25/2016 at 21:17

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A white Honda Accord I had was in an accident with the rear bumper getting replaced, same result happened. Drove me absolutely crazy until I sold it.

TheRealBicycleBuck > K-Roll-PorscheTamer 01/25/2016 at 21:19

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That would be the Ingot Silver Metallic? If so, same problem .

TheRealBicycleBuck > Caleb "If a rally car can do it, so can my Malibu" M. S. 01/25/2016 at 21:21

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Yeah, she really liked the deep well where the third row is stored. In all fairness, it does work well for her. She just thinks that the minivan would have been easier to use, more comfortable to drive, and more convenient.

TheRealBicycleBuck > iSureWilll 01/25/2016 at 21:23

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This is the shop that screwed it up in the first place.

The only reason they are fixing it is because of new management. The paint itself (materials) is warrantied for three years. The body shop will have to eat the labor costs.

JQJ213- Now With An Extra Cylinder! > Caleb "If a rally car can do it, so can my Malibu" M. S. 01/25/2016 at 21:25

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Love that review!

After the first 1:45 I was saying:

It’s okay Mr. Regular, tell us how you really feel

Caleb "If a rally car can do it, so can my Malibu" M. S. > TheRealBicycleBuck 01/25/2016 at 21:25

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If you go minivan, you kind of have to go odyssey, but best of luck to you.

K-Roll-PorscheTamer > TheRealBicycleBuck 01/25/2016 at 21:30

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DAMMIT -_-

Well, hopefully nothing like this happens....Please.

TheRealBicycleBuck > Caleb "If a rally car can do it, so can my Malibu" M. S. 01/25/2016 at 21:30

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A friend of mine has had two Odysseys and both suffered from sliding door problems.

We won’t be back in the market until my daughter is old enough to drive. By then, who knows what she’ll pick. She really likes driving my WRX, but I’m not giving it up.

sm70- why not Duesenberg? > Saracen 01/25/2016 at 21:31

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Oh shit I was looking for just the bumper to be a different color than the fender above it. Now I see it. Christ that’s bad.

Caleb "If a rally car can do it, so can my Malibu" M. S. > TheRealBicycleBuck 01/25/2016 at 21:37

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We have a 2012 Odyssey that we have put 79k miles on, and as far as I can remember, we have never had a mechanical/electrical issue of any sort. Keep fighting the good fight for the glory of manual, diesel, RWD, beige wagons.

TheRealBicycleBuck > Caleb "If a rally car can do it, so can my Malibu" M. S. 01/25/2016 at 21:42

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You are the lucky one. Both of his had issues with doors that wouldn’t close right or when they did, the door ajar alarm wouldn’t stop chiming even though the doors were closed and latched. I think he ended up pulling the fuse for the automatic doors and just opened them manually.

http://repairpal.com/electric-slidi…

Master Cylinder > TheRealBicycleBuck 01/25/2016 at 21:52

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My wife has been pretty set on the Explorer as her next vehicle. Then we went to the Detroit auto show and she sat in a new Flex. Now the Flex is the one she wants. I never really considered the Flex but I quite liked the interior. If only it got a little better gas mileage. I understand why it doesn’t, but for a DINK couple it makes very little sense to have such a big thirsty vehicle, at least in my opinion.

HammerheadFistpunch > TheRealBicycleBuck 01/25/2016 at 21:58

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My brother in law is an adjuster at progressive and he tells me the worst color to have repaired is a white pearl or tricoat...he says it almost never matches. My mothers car is white pearl and she had the front bumper replaced to confirm this theory.

TheRealBicycleBuck > Master Cylinder 01/25/2016 at 22:00

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The Explorer and the Flex have essentially the same interior. It’s the outside shape that makes them different.

To offer some perspective, her Explorer gets about the same mileage as my WRX. They claim 24 mpg highway in the Explorer, but we get closer to 21. Around town, it’s about 18 mpg. The Flex is about the same.

TheRealBicycleBuck > HammerheadFistpunch 01/25/2016 at 22:02

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Awfully nice of her to replace a bumper just to confirm his theory.

Master Cylinder > TheRealBicycleBuck 01/25/2016 at 22:13

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I dunno if it’s a recent change, but the Explorer and Flex we sat in at the auto show had pretty different dashboards. The Flex was a lot more “modern” with flat touch panels for most of the functions on the center stack while the Explorer’s was more traditional with buttons and such. I know the mileage isn’t horrible and honestly my 944 doesn’t do much better but it’s a criteria for her. She will honestly probably end up in a C-Max as she liked that a lot as well.

aberson Bresident of the FullyAssed Committe > HFV has no HFV. But somehow has 2 motorcycles 01/25/2016 at 22:21

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To be fair plastic bumpers can be a major PITA to color match correctly.

iSureWilll > TheRealBicycleBuck 01/25/2016 at 23:23

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Yea. The new management at least offered to do the right thing. Things may be a lot different now than they were when you originally got it painted.

HammerheadFistpunch > TheRealBicycleBuck 01/25/2016 at 23:48

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It was more confirming my dad’s who thought buying my mom a nice new car was akin to buying a really expensive bumper car

Saracen > sm70- why not Duesenberg? 01/26/2016 at 00:45

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Yep, now you can’t unsee it!

shop-teacher > TheRealBicycleBuck 01/26/2016 at 16:50

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That would drive me insane. Glad they're going to fix it.

Satoshi "Zipang" Katsura > TheRealBicycleBuck 01/27/2016 at 11:51

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Note to self: Find a simple shade of white.

boxrocket > TheRealBicycleBuck 01/27/2016 at 20:47

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I’m not a big fan of white paints (or black, for that matter) on cars, but this one is omen of the few exceptions. It’s a PITA to match, but when done right, it looks gooooooooood.

Wish they’d offer a pearl silver. Ingot Silver is nice, but not quite there.

boxrocket > TheRealBicycleBuck 01/27/2016 at 20:49

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If I were in the market for a minivan, the new Kia Sedona would be at the too of my list. I also have a thing for underdogs, and the Sedona is commonly overlooked.

jimz > TheRealBicycleBuck 03/20/2016 at 12:22

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the interiors of the Flex and Explorer are nothing alike. I find the Explorer’s interior to be bulky and cramped; less so in the Flex.

jimz > TheRealBicycleBuck 03/20/2016 at 12:24

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this is why body shops are supposed to “blend” the new spray along the side of the car instead of just repainting the specific panel. I had an SRT-4 in Electric Blue pearl on which I had to get a rust spot fixed (paint chipped through on the inside of the rear door opening and started to rust.) I took it to an independent body shop who fixed it. when they re-sprayed it they blended the paint halfway up the side of the car, I swear you couldn’t tell it had been partially repainted.

TheRealBicycleBuck > jimz 03/20/2016 at 13:23

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Yeah, they were supposed to blend it. To be fair, it was harder to tell on the day we picked it up.